https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZSxb8QIIa4
jeff geerling made a video on this, has some details on FM/AM translators, and how difficult it is to dismantle a tower.
Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
171–180 of 259 posts
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#172Earlier quoted context omitted.
To add to this with sources: "Loss of primary station's signal. The translator must be set up to go off the air if the main station's signal is lost." [1] and cites regulations [2][3] [1] https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/fm-translators-and-boosters [2] https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-C... [3] https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-C...
Shame they can't set up 1 1-Watt transmitter on a poll to meet the regulations and then sent a direct feed to to the FM transmitter
Shame they can't just retransmit an internet radio station they receive over satellite.
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#173The image of another tower used in the article is pretty confusing. This https://apnews.com/article/radio-station-tower-stolen-am-fm-... > one apparently includes the real one, which I think makes the theft appear more within the realms of possibility.
One of my earliest memories of something in the newspapers was, as a teenager, finding out a picture in The Guardian was of any entirely different conflict, more than a decade earlier, albeit in the same country. The media did not really care much about accuracy then, and its even worse now.
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Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#174Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why would someone design a radio system this way (instead of independent signal to the FM) and what is the risk of running an FM station without rebroadcasting that lead to these rules?
And isn't AM sound quality worse?
Stereo AM signals are (was?) a thing!
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#175Is anyone here familiar with structures like these? Do you have any theories how this could have happened?
The tower seems to be in a relatively remote field, and the tower seems pretty small (judging from [1]). Cut it down and in to pieces with a few battery-powered grinders, put in a van or two (or a small truck), and off you go. I suspect this may be easier than it appears at first sight. [1]: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/08/us/stolen-transmitter-rad...
> The tower seems to be in a relatively remote field
you pretty much just described every single tower site.
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#176Is anyone here familiar with structures like these? Do you have any theories how this could have happened?
Two to four people showed up in a pickup pulling a flatbed trailer, armed with battery powered metal saws and a dream. The rest should be self-explanatory. You could rent all of the equipment for a few hundred dollars: a 3/4 or 1-ton truck, a 30-40’ flatbed trailer, and a few portabands/angle grinders. Hi-vis vests and hard hats also lend an air of legitimacy.
Hi-vis vests and hard hats at night are still super suspicious. No legit crew would do this kind of thing at night.
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#177Earlier quoted context omitted.
The tower seems to be in a relatively remote field, and the tower seems pretty small (judging from [1]). Cut it down and in to pieces with a few battery-powered grinders, put in a van or two (or a small truck), and off you go. I suspect this may be easier than it appears at first sight. [1]: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/08/us/stolen-transmitter-rad...
How realistic is the theory in the article regarding it being picked up by a helicopter? I don't know how much a tower like that could weight, nor how much a typical helicopter that a private individual has access to could lift. But if they'd be able to collect a significant value after cutting it down into pieces somewhere else and sell the pieces, maybe it makes sense (from the thief's perspective) to helicopter aw…
I once got a quote to sling a 1500 lb load 5 miles from an airport to a remote area. $10,000.
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#178How did they not notice this immediately themselves instead of having a landscaping crew notify them?
When I was a broadcast engineer, we were required to constantly monitor the on-the-air signal. In addition, that tower is live. How did they disconnect it without serious shock?
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#179This reminds me of [1]
Re: Someone stole a Jasper radio station’s 200-foot tower, owner says
#180Earlier quoted context omitted.
Theft like this is suprisingly common, usually everybody assumes it's people doing their job.
Just wear a yellow reflective jacket and don't look around yourself nervously and you could steal the sign from the Police station.
and much of rural america is increasingly depopulated. not only would nobody notice, there is nobody there to notice.